Starting next year, the College Football Playoff will increase its size to 24 teams, ending the long-standing tradition of conference title games. The new format will feature five automatic qualifiers from the Power Four conferences and the best-ranked team from the Group of Six, with the remaining teams selected by a panel.
ESPN has agreed to a new five-year contract worth an additional $1.7 billion to accommodate the expanded playoff schedule. The top eight seeds will receive first-round byes, and the playoff will commence in December, with the first two rounds hosted on campus.